UNRWA is close to withdrawing from Lebanon?

The agency’s financial situation appears to be critical in the current year, and only half of its budget has been covered, which makes the continued provision of services at the same level is almost impossible. Therefore, the circles explained that “UNRWA” is currently working to secure additional funding from the donor countries to cover the financial gap, especially since its operational budget for this year is $ 880.2 million, and that the financing gap of this amount amounted to 153 million dollars last year (2024), and the budget reached $ 848 million in the year 2023, with a financial gap of $ 126 million. Some countries stopped paying their contributions, affecting the budget allocated to Lebanon. Also, any additional reduction in services will increase the suffering of refugees, especially in education and health, and affects the stability of Palestinian families in it.
UNRWA is also trying, according to the circles, to secure the amount of $ 2.164 billion for its emergency call, which includes Lebanon, Syria and the occupied Palestinian territories, especially since the continuation of the financial crisis means that the unavoidable cuts will occur sooner or later.
Observers note that these financial and operational challenges coincide with broader political pressure on the Palestinian refugee file, especially with regard to the issue of the right to return and the issue of resettlement.
At the same time, the situation of “UNRWA” is reflected in the Lebanese Ocean, so the decline in its services puts additional pressure on Lebanese schools and hospitals, and increases the fragility of Palestinian camps and gatherings in the country, which may lead to additional social tensions. From here, the circles say that “UNRWA” in Lebanon stands today at a crucial crossroads, as its continuation in providing its services is not just a human issue, but rather a basic stability factor for Palestinian camps and Lebanese society as a whole. Also, any additional reduction or decline in services will leave long -term traces of the lives of Palestinian refugees, and the host Lebanese as well.